Psalm 94:1-7

1O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
2Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
Render punishment to the proud.
3Lord, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?
4They utter speech, and speak insolent things;
All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.
5They break in pieces Your people, O Lord,
And afflict Your heritage.
6They slay the widow and the stranger,
And murder the fatherless.
7Yet they say, “The Lord does not see,
Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”
-Psalm 94:1-7

A lot of people have issues with these Psalms and really struggle with what to do with them. We understand that we are to walk in love and some of this doesn't seem to be all that loving. What do we make of this then? Psalms such as these do not bother me so much as I recognize justice as being loving as well. There is an important thing to recognize through these psalms that are calling for the defeat of enemies. It is not the psalmist taking action into their own hands. They are not seeking vengeance for themselves. Rather, they are calling upon the Lord and allowing vengeance to be His.

It is also important to note that the enemies that are being called to be defeated are not simply the psalmist's enemies. They are the enemies of God. These are not appropriate to pray toward those who simply inconvenience us or annoy us. The prayer is for the Lord to take action against wickedness. Such a prayer is welcomed in Scripture as vengeance belongs to the Lord. Trust in Him and let Him take the action that is necessary for vengeance. Do not take it upon yourself.